Methods and systems for image processing to present data in augmented reality

ABSTRACT

A system includes one or more processors coupled to a camera and a display. The processor(s) identify a unique identifier on a label of a prescription pill bottle or container using images generated by the camera, and request additional data from a pharmacy benefit manager using the identifier. The system includes an augmented reality subsystem that directs the display to present the additional data from the benefit manager in an augmented reality foreground image displayed over the camera images, directs the display to present interactive portion(s) in the augmented reality foreground image, and, responsive to detecting a user selection, implements an action that includes transmitting a request to refill a prescription drug, calling a doctor, and/or directing the display to present drug interaction information.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/850,263, which was filed Jun. 27, 2022, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/356,458, which was filed Mar. 18,2019 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,373,400). The entire disclosures of theseapplications are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to the technical field ofaugmented reality. In a specific example, the present disclosure mayrelate to using augmented reality with prescription drugs.

BACKGROUND

Conventional prescription drug bottles generally include a labeldisplaying a limited amount of printed information. The conventionalprescription pill bottles generally display patient name, drug name, andlimited instructions for using or taking the prescription drug. However,the information printed on the label is hard to read, can be lost (e.g.by scratching off information or the label accidentally being removed),and can include errors or typos. As such, there is a continuing need toimprove how drug information associated with a prescription drug iscommunicated to a patient.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an example system including ahigh-volume pharmacy.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an example pharmacy fulfillmentdevice, which may be deployed within the system of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an example order processingdevice, which may be deployed within the system of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example benefit manager device that maybe deployed within the system of FIG. 1 , according to an exampleembodiment;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an example user device that may be deployedwithin the system of FIG. 1 , according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an example augmented reality data providingsubsystem that may be deployed within the benefit manager device of FIG.4 , according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an example augmented reality subsystem thatmay be deployed within the user device of FIG. 5 , according to anexample embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a screenshot illustrating additional data about apharmaceutical drug displayed in augmented reality, according to anexample embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a flowchart illustrating methods fordisplaying additional information about a pharmaceutical drug inaugmented reality, according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a flowchart illustrating methods fordisplaying drug interaction data in augmented reality, according to anexample embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a screenshot illustrating drug interaction data displayed inaugmented reality, according to an example embodiment; and

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example implementation of a system 100for a high-volume pharmacy. While the system 100 is generally describedas being deployed in a high-volume pharmacy or a fulfillment center (forexample, a mail order pharmacy, a direct delivery pharmacy, etc.), thesystem 100 and/or components of the system 100 may otherwise be deployed(for example, in a lower-volume pharmacy, etc.). A high-volume pharmacymay be a pharmacy that is capable of filling at least some prescriptionsmechanically. The system 100 may include a benefit manager device 102and a pharmacy device 106 in communication with each other directlyand/or over a network 104. The system 100 may also include a storagedevice 110.

The benefit manager device 102 is a device operated by an entity that isat least partially responsible for creation and/or management of thepharmacy or drug benefit. While the entity operating the benefit managerdevice 102 is typically a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), other entitiesmay operate the benefit manager device 102 on behalf of themselves orother entities (such as PBMs). For example, the benefit manager device102 may be operated by a health plan, a retail pharmacy chain, a drugwholesaler, a data analytics or other type of software-related company,etc. In some implementations, a PBM that provides the pharmacy benefitmay provide one or more additional benefits including a medical orhealth benefit, a dental benefit, a vision benefit, a wellness benefit,a radiology benefit, a pet care benefit, an insurance benefit, a longterm care benefit, a nursing home benefit, etc. The PBM may, in additionto its PBM operations, operate one or more pharmacies. The pharmaciesmay be retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, etc.

Some of the operations of the PBM that operates the benefit managerdevice 102 may include the following activities and processes. A member(or a person on behalf of the member) of a pharmacy benefit plan mayobtain a prescription drug at a retail pharmacy location (e.g., alocation of a physical store) from a pharmacist or a pharmacisttechnician. The member may also obtain the prescription drug throughmail order drug delivery from a mail order pharmacy location, such asthe system 100. In some implementations, the member may obtain theprescription drug directly or indirectly through the use of a machine,such as a kiosk, a vending unit, a mobile electronic device 108, or adifferent type of mechanical device, electrical device, electroniccommunication device, and/or computing device. Such a machine may befilled with the prescription drug in prescription packaging, which mayinclude multiple prescription components, by the system 100. Thepharmacy benefit plan is administered by or through the benefit managerdevice 102.

The user device 108 may be a stand-alone device that solely provides atleast some of the functionality to enable augmented reality, or may be amulti-use device that has functionality outside of augmented realityfunctions as described herein. Examples of the user device 108 include aset-top box (STB), a receiver card, a mobile telephone, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a display device, a portable gaming unit, and acomputing system; however, other devices may also be used. For example,the user device 108 may include a mobile electronic device, such anIPHONE or IPAD device by Apple, Inc., mobile electronic devices poweredby ANDROID by Google, Inc., and a BLACKBERRY device by Research InMotion Limited. The user device 108 also include other computingdevices, such as desktop computing devices, notebook computing devices,netbook computing devices, gaming devices, and the like. Other types ofelectronic devices may also be used. Furthermore, the user device 108can include a camera or can interface with a camera for the visualdetection of glyphs or a prescription pill bottle. Also, the user device108 can include a display (e.g. a touch screen) that can displayadditional information about a prescription drug in augmented reality.Additionally or alternatively, the user device 108 can execute anapplication that may use a cellular phone function of the user device108. The application may include instructions that when executed on theuser device 108, in the benefit manager device 102, or pharmacy device106, cause a machine to change its state or perform tasks within themachine and with other machines.

The member may have a copayment for the prescription drug that reflectsan amount of money that the member is responsible to pay the pharmacyfor the prescription drug. The money paid by the member to the pharmacymay come from, as examples, personal funds of the member, a healthsavings account (HSA) of the member or the member's family, a healthreimbursement arrangement (HRA) of the member or the member's family, ora flexible spending account (FSA) of the member or the member's family.In some instances, an employer of the member may directly or indirectlyfund or reimburse the member for the copayments.

The amount of the copayment required by the member may vary acrossdifferent pharmacy benefit plans having different plan sponsors orclients and/or for different prescription drugs. The member's copaymentmay be a flat copayment (in one example, $10), coinsurance (in oneexample, 10%), and/or a deductible (for example, responsibility for thefirst $500 of annual prescription drug expense, etc.) for certainprescription drugs, certain types and/or classes of prescription drugs,and/or all prescription drugs. The copayment may be stored in thestorage device 110 or determined by the benefit manager device 102.

In some instances, the member may not pay the copayment or may only paya portion of the copayment for the prescription drug. For example, if ausual and customary cost for a generic version of a prescription drug is$4, and the member's flat copayment is $20 for the prescription drug,the member may only need to pay $4 to receive the prescription drug. Inanother example involving a worker's compensation claim, no copaymentmay be due by the member for the prescription drug.

In addition, copayments may also vary based on different deliverychannels for the prescription drug. For example, the copayment forreceiving the prescription drug from a mail order pharmacy location maybe less than the copayment for receiving the prescription drug from aretail pharmacy location.

In conjunction with receiving a copayment (if any) from the member anddispensing the prescription drug to the member, the pharmacy submits aclaim to the PBM for the prescription drug. After receiving the claim,the PBM (such as by using the benefit manager device 102) may performcertain adjudication operations including verifying eligibility for themember, identifying/reviewing an applicable formulary for the member todetermine any appropriate copayment, coinsurance, and deductible for theprescription drug, and performing a drug utilization review (DUR) forthe member. Further, the PBM may provide a response to the pharmacy (forexample, the pharmacy system 100) following performance of at least someof the aforementioned operations.

As part of the adjudication, a plan sponsor (or the PBM on behalf of theplan sponsor) ultimately reimburses the pharmacy for filling theprescription drug when the prescription drug was successfullyadjudicated. The aforementioned adjudication operations generally occurbefore the copayment is received and the prescription drug is dispensed.However in some instances, these operations may occur simultaneously,substantially simultaneously, or in a different order. In addition, moreor fewer adjudication operations may be performed as at least part ofthe adjudication process.

The amount of reimbursement paid to the pharmacy by a plan sponsorand/or money paid by the member may be determined at least partiallybased on types of pharmacy networks in which the pharmacy is included.In some implementations, the amount may also be determined based onother factors. For example, if the member pays the pharmacy for theprescription drug without using the prescription or drug benefitprovided by the PBM, the amount of money paid by the member may behigher than when the member uses the prescription or drug benefit. Insome implementations, the amount of money received by the pharmacy fordispensing the prescription drug and for the prescription drug itselfmay be higher than when the member uses the prescription or drugbenefit. Some or all of the foregoing operations may be performed byexecuting instructions stored in the benefit manager device 102 and/oran additional device.

Examples of the network 104 include a Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM) network, a code division multiple access (CDMA)network, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), an Internet Protocol(IP) network, a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) network, or an IEEE802.11 standards network, as well as various combinations of the abovenetworks. The network 104 may include an optical network. The network104 may be a local area network or a global communication network, suchas the Internet. In some implementations, the network 104 may include anetwork dedicated to prescription orders: a prescribing network such asthe electronic prescribing network operated by Surescripts of Arlington,Virginia.

Moreover, although the system shows a single network 104, multiplenetworks can be used. The multiple networks may communicate in seriesand/or parallel with each other to link the devices 102-110.

The pharmacy device 106 may be a device associated with a retailpharmacy location (e.g., an exclusive pharmacy location, a grocery storewith a retail pharmacy, or a general sales store with a retail pharmacy)or other type of pharmacy location at which a member attempts to obtaina prescription. The pharmacy may use the pharmacy device 106 to submitthe claim to the PBM for adjudication.

Additionally, in some implementations, the pharmacy device 106 mayenable information exchange between the pharmacy and the PBM. Forexample, this may allow the sharing of member information such as drughistory that may allow the pharmacy to better service a member (forexample, by providing more informed therapy consultation and druginteraction information). In some implementations, the benefit managerdevice 102 may track prescription drug fulfillment and/or otherinformation for users that are not members, or have not identifiedthemselves as members, at the time (or in conjunction with the time) inwhich they seek to have a prescription filled at a pharmacy.

The pharmacy device 106 may include a pharmacy fulfillment device 112,an order processing device 114, and a pharmacy management device 116 incommunication with each other directly and/or over the network 104. Theorder processing device 114 may receive information regarding fillingprescriptions and may direct an order component to one or more devicesof the pharmacy fulfillment device 112 at a pharmacy. The pharmacyfulfillment device 112 may fulfill, dispense, aggregate, and/or pack theorder components of the prescription drugs in accordance with one ormore prescription orders directed by the order processing device 114.

In general, the order processing device 114 is a device located withinor otherwise associated with the pharmacy to enable the pharmacyfulfilment device 112 to fulfill a prescription and dispenseprescription drugs. In some implementations, the order processing device114 may be an external order processing device separate from thepharmacy and in communication with other devices located within thepharmacy.

For example, the external order processing device may communicate withan internal pharmacy order processing device and/or other deviceslocated within the system 100. In some implementations, the externalorder processing device may have limited functionality (e.g., asoperated by a user requesting fulfillment of a prescription drug), whilethe internal pharmacy order processing device may have greaterfunctionality (e.g., as operated by a pharmacist).

The order processing device 114 may track the prescription order as itis fulfilled by the pharmacy fulfillment device 112. The prescriptionorder may include one or more prescription drugs to be filled by thepharmacy. The order processing device 114 may make pharmacy routingdecisions and/or order consolidation decisions for the particularprescription order. The pharmacy routing decisions include whatdevice(s) in the pharmacy are responsible for filling or otherwisehandling certain portions of the prescription order. The orderconsolidation decisions include whether portions of one prescriptionorder or multiple prescription orders should be shipped together for auser or a user family. The order processing device 114 may also trackand/or schedule literature or paperwork associated with eachprescription order or multiple prescription orders that are beingshipped together. In some implementations, the order processing device114 may operate in combination with the pharmacy management device 116.

The order processing device 114 may include circuitry, a processor, amemory to store data and instructions, and communication functionality.The order processing device 114 is dedicated to performing processes,methods, and/or instructions described in this application. Other typesof electronic devices may also be used that are specifically configuredto implement the processes, methods, and/or instructions described infurther detail below.

In some implementations, at least some functionality of the orderprocessing device 114 may be included in the pharmacy management device116. The order processing device 114 may be in a client-serverrelationship with the pharmacy management device 116, in a peer-to-peerrelationship with the pharmacy management device 116, or in a differenttype of relationship with the pharmacy management device 116. The orderprocessing device 114 and/or the pharmacy management device 116 maycommunicate directly (for example, such as by using a local storage)and/or through the network 104 (such as by using a cloud storageconfiguration, software as a service, etc.) with the storage device 110.

The storage device 110 may include: non-transitory storage (for example,memory, hard disk, CD-ROM, etc.) in communication with the benefitmanager device 102 and/or the pharmacy device 106 directly and/or overthe network 104. The non-transitory storage may store order data 118,member data 120, claims data 122, drug data 124, prescription data 126,and/or plan sponsor data 128. Further, the system 100 may includeadditional devices, which may communicate with each other directly orover the network 104.

The order data 118 may be related to a prescription order. The orderdata may include type of the prescription drug (for example, drug nameand strength) and quantity of the prescription drug. The order data 118may also include data used for completion of the prescription, such asprescription materials. In general, prescription materials include anelectronic copy of information regarding the prescription drug forinclusion with or otherwise in conjunction with the fulfilledprescription. The prescription materials may include electronicinformation regarding drug interaction warnings, recommended usage,possible side effects, expiration date, date of prescribing, etc. Theorder data 118 may be used by a high-volume fulfillment center tofulfill a pharmacy order.

In some implementations, the order data 118 includes verificationinformation associated with fulfillment of the prescription in thepharmacy. For example, the order data 118 may include videos and/orimages taken of (i) the prescription drug prior to dispensing, duringdispensing, and/or after dispensing, (ii) the prescription container(for example, a prescription container and sealing lid, prescriptionpackaging, etc.) used to contain the prescription drug prior todispensing, during dispensing, and/or after dispensing, (iii) thepackaging and/or packaging materials used to ship or otherwise deliverthe prescription drug prior to dispensing, during dispensing, and/orafter dispensing, and/or (iv) the fulfillment process within thepharmacy. Other types of verification information such as barcode dataread from pallets, bins, trays, or carts used to transport prescriptionswithin the pharmacy may also be stored as order data 118.

The member data 120 includes information regarding the membersassociated with the PBM. The information stored as member data 120 mayinclude personal information, personal health information, protectedhealth information, etc. Examples of the member data 120 include name,address, telephone number, e-mail address, prescription drug history,etc. The member data 120 may include a plan sponsor identifier thatidentifies the plan sponsor associated with the member and/or a memberidentifier that identifies the member to the plan sponsor. The memberdata 120 may include a member identifier that identifies the plansponsor associated with the user and/or a user identifier thatidentifies the user to the plan sponsor. The member data 120 may alsoinclude dispensation preferences such as type of label, type of cap,message preferences, language preferences, etc. In addition, the memberdata 112 can include or reference prescription numbers associated withthe member.

The member data 120 may be accessed by various devices in the pharmacy(for example, the high-volume fulfillment center, etc.) to obtaininformation used for fulfillment and shipping of prescription orders. Insome implementations, an external order processing device operated by oron behalf of a member may have access to at least a portion of themember data 120 for review, verification, or other purposes.

In some implementations, the member data 120 may include information forpersons who are users of the pharmacy but are not members in thepharmacy benefit plan being provided by the PBM. For example, theseusers may obtain drugs directly from the pharmacy, through a privatelabel service offered by the pharmacy, the high-volume fulfillmentcenter, or otherwise. In general, the use of the terms “member” and“user” may be used interchangeably.

The claims data 122 includes information regarding pharmacy claimsadjudicated by the PBM under a drug benefit program provided by the PBMfor one or more plan sponsors. In general, the claims data 122 includesan identification of the client that sponsors the drug benefit programunder which the claim is made, and/or the member that purchased theprescription drug giving rise to the claim, the prescription drug thatwas filled by the pharmacy (e.g., the national drug code number, etc.),the dispensing date, generic indicator, generic product identifier (GPI)number, medication class, the cost of the prescription drug providedunder the drug benefit program, the copayment/coinsurance amount, rebateinformation, and/or member eligibility, etc. Additional information maybe included.

In some implementations, other types of claims beyond prescription drugclaims may be stored in the claims data 122. For example, medicalclaims, dental claims, wellness claims, or other types ofhealth-care-related claims for members may be stored as a portion of theclaims data 122.

In some implementations, the claims data 122 includes claims thatidentify the members with whom the claims are associated. Additionallyor alternatively, the claims data 122 may include claims that have beende-identified (that is, associated with a unique identifier but not witha particular, identifiable member).

Furthermore, the claims data 122 can include or reference pastprescriptions associated with previous refills, if any, of aprescription drug, how many pills or doses of the prescription drug arein each refill for the member, a last refill date (i.e. when theprescription drug was last refilled), a doctor who prescribed theprescription drug, and contact information for the doctor who prescribedthe prescription drug. In some embodiments, the claims data 122 canpredict how many pills or doses remain in the prescription based on acurrent date, the last refill date, and prescription dosinginstructions. For example, if the prescription fill included 30 pills tobe taken daily, the prescription was filled on Jan. 1, 2018, and thecurrent date is Jan. 15, 2018, the claims data 122 can predict that 15pills remain. In some embodiments, the claims data 122 and the number ofpills or doses remaining are updated upon receiving indication that themember took or used the prescription drug. For example, a reminderapplication can receive an indication that the drug was used by themember over the network 104.

The drug data 124 may include drug name (e.g., technical name and/orcommon name), other names by which the drug is known, activeingredients, an image of the drug (such as in pill form), typical dosinginstructions, etc. The drug data 124 may include information associatedwith a single medication or multiple medications. However, dosinginstructions may come from the claims data 122 if the doctor prescribeddosing instructions different from the typical dosing instructions.

The prescription data 126 may include information regardingprescriptions that may be issued by prescribers on behalf of users, whomay be members of the pharmacy benefit plan—for example, to be filled bya pharmacy. Examples of the prescription data 126 include user names,medication or treatment (such as lab tests), dosing information, etc.The prescriptions may include electronic prescriptions or paperprescriptions that have been scanned. In some implementations, thedosing information reflects a frequency of use (e.g., once a day, twicea day, before each meal, etc.) and a duration of use (e.g., a few days,a week, a few weeks, a month, etc.).

Furthermore, the drug interaction data 130 can include all knowninteractions between various prescription drugs. The known interactionscan be negative, positive, or benign. Further still, the druginteraction data 130 can include known interactions between eachprescription drug and over-the-counter drugs, known interactions betweeneach prescription drug and vitamins or medical herbs (e.g. St. John'sWort), or known interactions between each prescription drug and commonlyused substances, such as alcohol.

In some implementations, the order data 118 may be linked to associatedmember data 120, claims data 122, drug data 124, and/or prescriptiondata 126.

The plan sponsor data 128 includes information regarding the plansponsors of the PBM. Examples of the plan sponsor data 128 includecompany name, company address, contact name, contact telephone number,contact e-mail address, etc.

FIG. 2 illustrates the pharmacy fulfillment device 112 according to anexample implementation. The pharmacy fulfillment device 112 may be usedto process and fulfill prescriptions and prescription orders. Afterfulfillment, the fulfilled prescriptions are packed for shipping.

The pharmacy fulfillment device 112 may include devices in communicationwith the benefit manager device 102, the order processing device 114,and/or the storage device 110, directly or over the network 104.Specifically, the pharmacy fulfillment device 112 may include palletsizing and pucking device(s) 206, loading device(s) 208, inspectdevice(s) 210, unit of use device(s) 212, automated dispensing device(s)214, manual fulfillment device(s) 216, review devices 218, imagingdevice(s) 220, cap device(s) 222, accumulation devices 224, packingdevice(s) 226, literature device(s) 228, unit of use packing device(s)230, and mail manifest device(s) 232. Further, the pharmacy fulfillmentdevice 112 may include additional devices, which may communicate witheach other directly or over the network 104.

In some implementations, operations performed by one of these devices206-232 may be performed sequentially, or in parallel with theoperations of another device as may be coordinated by the orderprocessing device 114. In some implementations, the order processingdevice 114 tracks a prescription with the pharmacy based on operationsperformed by one or more of the devices 206-232.

In some implementations, the pharmacy fulfillment device 112 maytransport prescription drug containers, for example, among the devices206-232 in the high-volume fulfillment center, by use of pallets. Thepallet sizing and pucking device 206 may configure pucks in a pallet. Apallet may be a transport structure for a number of prescriptioncontainers, and may include a number of cavities. A puck may be placedin one or more than one of the cavities in a pallet by the pallet sizingand pucking device 206. The puck may include a receptacle sized andshaped to receive a prescription container. Such containers may besupported by the pucks during carriage in the pallet. Different pucksmay have differently sized and shaped receptacles to accommodatecontainers of differing sizes, as may be appropriate for differentprescriptions.

The arrangement of pucks in a pallet may be determined by the orderprocessing device 114 based on prescriptions that the order processingdevice 114 decides to launch. The arrangement logic may be implementeddirectly in the pallet sizing and pucking device 206. Once aprescription is set to be launched, a puck suitable for the appropriatesize of container for that prescription may be positioned in a pallet bya robotic arm or pickers. The pallet sizing and pucking device 206 maylaunch a pallet once pucks have been configured in the pallet.

The loading device 208 may load prescription containers into the puckson a pallet by a robotic arm, a pick and place mechanism (also referredto as pickers), etc. In various implementations, the loading device 208has robotic arms or pickers to grasp a prescription container and moveit to and from a pallet or a puck. The loading device 208 may also printa label that is appropriate for a container that is to be loaded ontothe pallet, and apply the label to the container. The pallet may belocated on a conveyor assembly during these operations (e.g., at thehigh-volume fulfillment center, etc.).

The inspect device 210 may verify that containers in a pallet arecorrectly labeled and in the correct spot on the pallet. The inspectdevice 210 may scan the label on one or more containers on the pallet.Labels of containers may be scanned or imaged in full or in part by theinspect device 210. Such imaging may occur after the container has beenlifted out of its puck by a robotic arm, picker, etc., or may beotherwise scanned or imaged while retained in the puck. In someimplementations, images and/or video captured by the inspect device 210may be stored in the storage device 110 as order data 118.

The unit of use device 212 may temporarily store, monitor, label, and/ordispense unit of use products. In general, unit of use products areprescription drug products that may be delivered to a user or memberwithout being repackaged at the pharmacy. These products may includepills in a container, pills in a blister pack, inhalers, etc.Prescription drug products dispensed by the unit of use device 212 maybe packaged individually or collectively for shipping, or may be shippedin combination with other prescription drugs dispensed by other devicesin the high-volume fulfillment center.

At least some of the operations of the devices 206-232 may be directedby the order processing device 114. For example, the manual fulfillmentdevice 216, the review device 218, the automated dispensing device 214,and/or the packing device 226, etc. may receive instructions provided bythe order processing device 114.

The automated dispensing device 214 may include one or more devices thatdispense prescription drugs or pharmaceuticals into prescriptioncontainers in accordance with one or multiple prescription orders. Ingeneral, the automated dispensing device 214 may include mechanical andelectronic components with, in some implementations, software and/orlogic to facilitate pharmaceutical dispensing that would otherwise beperformed in a manual fashion by a pharmacist and/or pharmacisttechnician. For example, the automated dispensing device 214 may includehigh-volume fillers that fill a number of prescription drug types at arapid rate and blister pack machines that dispense and pack drugs into ablister pack. Prescription drugs dispensed by the automated dispensingdevices 214 may be packaged individually or collectively for shipping,or may be shipped in combination with other prescription drugs dispensedby other devices in the high-volume fulfillment center.

The manual fulfillment device 216 controls how prescriptions aremanually fulfilled. For example, the manual fulfillment device 216 mayreceive or obtain a container and enable fulfillment of the container bya pharmacist or pharmacy technician. In some implementations, the manualfulfillment device 216 provides the filled container to another devicein the pharmacy fulfillment devices 112 to be joined with othercontainers in a prescription order for a user or member.

In general, manual fulfillment may include operations at least partiallyperformed by a pharmacist or a pharmacy technician. For example, aperson may retrieve a supply of the prescribed drug, may make anobservation, may count out a prescribed quantity of drugs and place theminto a prescription container, etc. Some portions of the manualfulfillment process may be automated by use of a machine. For example,counting of capsules, tablets, or pills may be at least partiallyautomated (such as through use of a pill counter). Prescription drugsdispensed by the manual fulfillment device 216 may be packagedindividually or collectively for shipping, or may be shipped incombination with other prescription drugs dispensed by other devices inthe high-volume fulfillment center.

The review device 218 may process prescription containers to be reviewedby a pharmacist for proper pill count, exception handling, prescriptionverification, etc. Fulfilled prescriptions may be manually reviewedand/or verified by a pharmacist, as may be required by state or locallaw. A pharmacist or other licensed pharmacy person who may dispensecertain drugs in compliance with local and/or other laws may operate thereview device 218 and visually inspect a prescription container that hasbeen filled with a prescription drug. The pharmacist may review, verify,and/or evaluate drug quantity, drug strength, and/or drug interactionconcerns, or otherwise perform pharmacist services. The pharmacist mayalso handle containers which have been flagged as an exception, such ascontainers with unreadable labels, containers for which the associatedprescription order has been canceled, containers with defects, etc. Inan example, the manual review can be performed at a manual reviewstation.

The imaging device 220 may image containers once they have been filledwith pharmaceuticals. The imaging device 220 may measure a fill heightof the pharmaceuticals in the container based on the obtained image todetermine if the container is filled to the correct height given thetype of pharmaceutical and the number of pills in the prescription.Images of the pills in the container may also be obtained to detect thesize of the pills themselves and markings thereon. The images may betransmitted to the order processing device 114 and/or stored in thestorage device 110 as part of the order data 118.

The cap device 222 may be used to cap or otherwise seal a prescriptioncontainer. In some implementations, the cap device 222 may secure aprescription container with a type of cap in accordance with a userpreference (e.g., a preference regarding child resistance, etc.), a plansponsor preference, a prescriber preference, etc. The cap device 222 mayalso etch a message into the cap, although this process may be performedby a subsequent device in the high-volume fulfillment center.

The accumulation device 224 accumulates various containers ofprescription drugs in a prescription order. The accumulation device 224may accumulate prescription containers from various devices or areas ofthe pharmacy. For example, the accumulation device 224 may accumulateprescription containers from the unit of use device 212, the automateddispensing device 214, the manual fulfillment device 216, and the reviewdevice 218. The accumulation device 224 may be used to group theprescription containers prior to shipment to the member.

The literature device 228 prints, or otherwise generates, literature toinclude with each prescription drug order. The literature may be printedon multiple sheets of substrates, such as paper, coated paper, printablepolymers, or combinations of the above substrates. The literatureprinted by the literature device 228 may include information required toaccompany the prescription drugs included in a prescription order, otherinformation related to prescription drugs in the order, financialinformation associated with the order (for example, an invoice or anaccount statement), etc.

In some implementations, the literature device 228 folds or otherwiseprepares the literature for inclusion with a prescription drug order(e.g., in a shipping container). In other implementations, theliterature device 228 prints the literature and is separate from anotherdevice that prepares the printed literature for inclusion with aprescription order.

The packing device 226 packages the prescription order in preparationfor shipping the order. The packing device 226 may box, bag, orotherwise package the fulfilled prescription order for delivery. Thepacking device 226 may further place inserts (e.g., literature or otherpapers, etc.) into the packaging received from the literature device228. For example, bulk prescription orders may be shipped in a box,while other prescription orders may be shipped in a bag, which may be awrap seal bag.

The packing device 226 may label the box or bag with an address and arecipient's name. The label may be printed and affixed to the bag orbox, be printed directly onto the bag or box, or otherwise associatedwith the bag or box. The packing device 226 may sort the box or bag formailing in an efficient manner (e.g., sort by delivery address, etc.).The packing device 226 may include ice or temperature sensitive elementsfor prescriptions that are to be kept within a temperature range duringshipping (for example, this may be necessary in order to retainefficacy). The ultimate package may then be shipped through postal mail,through a mail order delivery service that ships via ground and/or air(e.g., UPS, FEDEX, or DHL, etc.), through a delivery service, through alocker box at a shipping site (e.g., AMAZON locker or a PO Box, etc.),or otherwise.

The unit of use packing device 230 packages a unit of use prescriptionorder in preparation for shipping the order. The unit of use packingdevice 230 may include manual scanning of containers to be bagged forshipping to verify each container in the order. In an exampleimplementation, the manual scanning may be performed at a manualscanning station. The pharmacy fulfillment device 112 may also include amail manifest device 232 to print mailing labels used by the packingdevice 226 and may print shipping manifests and packing lists.

While the pharmacy fulfillment device 112 in FIG. 2 is shown to includesingle devices 206-232, multiple devices may be used. When multipledevices are present, the multiple devices may be of the same device typeor models, or may be a different device type or model. The types ofdevices 206-232 shown in FIG. 2 are example devices. In otherconfigurations of the system 100, lesser, additional, or different typesof devices may be included.

Moreover, multiple devices may share processing and/or memory resources.The devices 206-232 may be located in the same area or in differentlocations. For example, the devices 206-232 may be located in a buildingor set of adjoining buildings. The devices 206-232 may be interconnected(such as by conveyors), networked, and/or otherwise in contact with oneanother or integrated with one another (e.g., at the high-volumefulfillment center, etc.). In addition, the functionality of a devicemay be split among a number of discrete devices and/or combined withother devices.

FIG. 3 illustrates the order processing device 114 according to anexample implementation. The order processing device 114 may be used byone or more operators to generate prescription orders, make routingdecisions, make prescription order consolidation decisions, trackliterature with the system 100, and/or view order status and other orderrelated information. For example, the prescription order may becomprised of order components.

The order processing device 114 may receive instructions to fulfill anorder without operator intervention. An order component may include aprescription drug fulfilled by use of a container through the system100. The order processing device 114 may include an order verificationsubsystem 302, an order control subsystem 304, and/or an order trackingsubsystem 306. Other subsystems may also be included in the orderprocessing device 114.

The order verification subsystem 302 may communicate with the benefitmanager device 102 to verify the eligibility of the member and reviewthe formulary to determine appropriate copayment, coinsurance, anddeductible for the prescription drug and/or perform a DUR (drugutilization review). Other communications between the order verificationsubsystem 302 and the benefit manager device 102 may be performed for avariety of purposes.

The order control subsystem 304 controls various movements of thecontainers and/or pallets along with various filling functions duringtheir progression through the system 100. In some implementations, theorder control subsystem 304 may identify the prescribed drug in one ormore than one prescription orders as capable of being fulfilled by theautomated dispensing device 214. The order control subsystem 304 maydetermine which prescriptions are to be launched and may determine thata pallet of automated-fill containers is to be launched.

The order control subsystem 304 may determine that an automated-fillprescription of a specific pharmaceutical is to be launched and mayexamine a queue of orders awaiting fulfillment for other prescriptionorders, which will be filled with the same pharmaceutical. The ordercontrol subsystem 304 may then launch orders with similar automated-fillpharmaceutical needs together in a pallet to the automated dispensingdevice 214. As the devices 206-232 may be interconnected by a system ofconveyors or other container movement systems, the order controlsubsystem 304 may control various conveyors: for example, to deliver thepallet from the loading device 208 to the manual fulfillment device 216from the literature device 228, paperwork as needed to fill theprescription.

The order tracking subsystem 306 may track a prescription order duringits progress toward fulfillment. The order tracking subsystem 306 maytrack, record, and/or update order history, order status, etc. The ordertracking subsystem 306 may store data locally (for example, in a memory)or as a portion of the order data 118 stored in the storage device 110.

Example methods and systems for using augmented reality are described.In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of example embodiments. It will be evident, however, toone of ordinary skill in the art that embodiments of the presentdisclosure may be practiced without these specific details.

After the benefit manager device 102 adjudicates and dispenses aprescription drug to a member, the benefit manager device 102 canrespond to data inquiries from the user device 108 and provideadditional information, for presentation in augmented reality, to theuser device 108. After receiving the additional information, the userdevice 108 can display the additional information to the member inaugmented reality. The additional information can include a member name,a prescription number, a photograph of an individual pill of theprescription drug, a name of the prescription drug, a quantity of theprescription drug, a number of refills, a last fill date, a prescriptionexpiration date, a prescribing doctor, and a prescribing doctor's phonenumber. In addition, the user device 108 can display activation buttonsin augmented reality that, when activated, function to call theprescribing doctor or refill the prescription.

FIG. 4 illustrates the benefit manager device 102, according to anexample embodiment. The benefit manager device 102 may be deployed inthe system 100, or may otherwise be used.

The benefit manager device 102 may include an augmented reality dataproviding subsystem 402. In some embodiments, the augmented reality dataproviding subsystem 402 may provide server-side functionality to theuser device 108. By way of example, the augmented reality data providingsubsystem 402 may be deployed in both the user device 108 and thebenefit manager device 102. The user device 108 may then perform some ofthe functionality while other functionality is performed by the benefitmanager device 102. The augmented reality data providing subsystem 402may receive requests from the user device 108 and provide data to theuser device 108 in response to the requests. Such provided data caninclude additional data about a pharmaceutical drug to be displayed inaugmented reality or drug interaction data to be displayed in augmentedreality.

FIG. 5 illustrates the user device 108, according to an exampleembodiment. The user device 108 may include an augmented realitysubsystem 504. In some embodiments, the augmented reality subsystem 504may provide client-side functionality and interact with the augmentedreality data providing subsystem 402. The augmented reality subsystem504 may comprise or be part of an application installed on the userdevice 108. The augmented reality subsystem 504 can detectpharmaceutical drugs in a camera's field of view, recognize printedinformation associated with the pharmaceutical drug, and displayadditional information, received from the augmented reality dataproviding subsystem 402, about the pharmaceutical drug in augmentedreality.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example augmented reality data providing subsystem402 that may be deployed in the benefit manager device 102 or otherwisedeployed in another system. One or more modules are communicativelycoupled and included in the augmented reality data providing subsystem402 to enable the benefit manager device 102 to provide additionalinformation about a prescription drug to the user device 108. Themodules of the augmented reality data providing subsystem 402 that maybe included are a data communication module 602 and a database referencemodule 604. Other modules may also be included.

In some embodiments, the modules of the augmented reality data providingsubsystem 402 may be distributed so that some of the modules aredeployed in the user device 108, some modules are deployed in thebenefit manager device 102, and some module are deployed in the pharmacydevice 106. In one embodiment, the modules are deployed in memory andexecuted by a processor coupled to the memory. The functionalitycontained within the modules 602-604 may be combined into a lessernumber of modules, further divided among a greater number of modules, orredistributed among existing modules. Other configurations including thefunctionality of the modules 602-604 may be used.

The data communications module 602 can receive data requests from theuser device 108 for information to display in augmented reality and cantransmit the information to be displayed in augmented reality based onthe request. For example, the data communication module 602 can receivea prescription number from the user device 108, and the datacommunication module 602 can pass the prescription number to thedatabase reference module 604. The database reference module 604 cangather data related to the prescription number in the database 110, suchas prescription drug name, prescription drug nickname, a photograph of apill of the prescription drug, a number of pills or doses remaining ofthe prescription drug, a prescribing doctor, or any other informationrelated to the prescription number. The database reference module 604can provide the gathered data to the communication module 602, and thecommunication module 602 can transmit the data related to theprescription number to the user device 108. If more than oneprescription number are provided, or the data communication module 602also receives indication of another substance (e.g. an over-the-counterdrug, a medical herb, or a vitamin) with the prescription number, thedatabase reference module 604 may gather the drug interaction data 130related to the prescription drug and the another substance or multipleprescription drugs.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example augmented reality subsystem 504 that maybe deployed in the user device 108 or otherwise deployed in anothersystem. One or more modules are communicatively coupled and included inthe augmented reality subsystem 504 to enable the user device 108 todisplay additional information about a prescription drug in augmentedreality. The modules of the augmented reality subsystem 504 that may beincluded are an imaging module 702, an optical character recognition(OCR) module 704, a user device data communication module 706, and anaugmented reality module 708. Other modules may also be included.

The imaging module 702 can receive images from a camera that capturesthe images of a field of view. The imaging module 702 can analyze theimages to determine whether the images include a prescription pillbottle or other prescription drug container. In an exemplary embodiment,the imaging module 702 can search a captured image for a unique glyph tobe included on a label of the prescription pill bottle or otherprescription drug container. Alternatively, the imaging module 702 cancompare one or more 3D image models of a prescription pill bottle orother prescription containers to objects in a captured image todetermine whether the prescription pill bottle or other prescriptiondrug container is within the camera's field of view.

When the imaging module 702 detects a prescription pill bottle or otherprescription drug container, the imaging module 702 can trigger the OCRmodule 704. The OCR module 704 can receive the image determined to havethe prescription pill bottle or other prescription drug container andsearch for a prescription number or other unique identifier printed onthe label. In some embodiments, the prescription number can be printeddirectly below the glyph. In some embodiments, the OCR module 704 cande-warp or unwarp the image when the unique identifier is printed on arounded surface, like a prescription pill bottle. The OCR module 704 candetect and determine the prescription number associated with theprescription pill bottle or other prescription drug container usingoptical character recognition.

The user device data communications module 706 can transmit a datarequest for information to display in augmented reality and can receivethe information to be displayed in augmented reality from the benefitmanager device 102. For example, the user device data communicationmodule 706 can transmit the prescription number and can receiveadditional data associated with a prescription drug from the benefitmanager device 102. The user device data communication module 706 canpass the received data from the benefit manager device 102 to theaugmented reality module 708.

The augmented reality module 708 can display the information receivedfrom the benefit manager device 102 on a display screen of the userdevice 108 in augmented reality. In other words, the augmented realitymodule 708 can display real-time images captured from the camera of theuser device 108 and also display additional information adjacent to adetected prescription pill bottle or other prescription drug containersuperimposed over the real-time images. Regardless of where theprescription pill bottle or other prescription drug container is on thedisplay screen, the additional information can always be displayedadjacent to the prescription pill bottle or other prescription drugcontainer. As such, if the field of view of the camera moves, theadditional information can move as well to remain displayed adjacent tothe prescription pill bottle or other prescription drug container. Theadditional information can be displayed to the right of the prescriptionpill bottle or other prescription drug container, the left of theprescription pill bottle or other prescription drug container, above theprescription pill bottle or other prescription drug container, below theprescription pill bottle or other prescription drug container, orwhether the most screen space exists.

Additionally, the augmented reality module 708 can present interactivebuttons on the display screen, which can be a touch screen. In responseto a user activating (e.g. touching) a portion of the display screenassociated with the current position of one of the interactive buttons,the augmented reality module 708 can perform an action. For example, oneof the interactive buttons can result in the user device 108transmitting a request to refill the prescription drug over the network104, and one of the interactive buttons can call a doctor who prescribedthe prescription drug using a cell phone function of the user device108. Because the buttons can move in augmented reality with movement ofthe field of view of the camera, the portion of the display screenassociated with the current positon of the interactive buttons canchange with the movement of the field of view of the camera.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of additional information displayed inaugmented reality. As shown in FIG. 8 , a camera detects a prescriptionpill bottle 802. In some embodiments, the camera captures theprescription pill bottle 802 and a processor performs image analysis todetect a glyph 804. In response to detecting the prescription pillbottle 802 in the field of view of the camera, the OCR module 704 canread a prescription number 806. In response to transmitting theprescription number 806 to a server (e.g. the benefit manager device102), the user device 108 can receive additional information about theprescription drug associated with the prescription pill bottle 802, andthe user device 108 can display the additional information adjacent tothe prescription pill bottle 802 in augmented reality. The additionalinformation displayed in augmented reality can include a member name810, a photograph of a pill associated with the prescription drug 812,prescription drug information 814, a number of refills 816, refillinformation 818, a first interactive button 820, and a secondinteractive button 822. In some embodiments, the first interactivebutton 820 can request a refill of the prescription drug associated withthe prescription pill bottle 802, and the second interactive button 822can result in a cell phone making a call to a doctor who prescribed theprescription drug associated with the prescription pill bottle 802.However, the first and second interactive buttons 820, 822 can implementother functions. Additionally, a third interactive button can bedisplayed that, when activated, displays drug interaction data about theprescription drug in the prescription pill bottle 802.

FIG. 9 illustrates a method 900 for displaying additional informationabout a prescription drug in augmented reality according to an exampleembodiment. The method 900 may be performed by the user device 108,partially by the benefit manager device 102 and partially by the userdevice 108, or may be otherwise performed. For the sake of simplicity,the user device 108 will be described as performing the steps of themethod 900, but the embodiments described herein are not so limited.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the user device 108 can detect aprescription pill bottle or other container in step 902. According to anexemplary embodiment, the user device 108 can detect the prescriptionpill bottle or other container by detecting a glyph on a label of theprescription pill bottle or other container. Alternatively, the userdevice 108 can detect the prescription pill bottle or other container bydetermining that an object in the field of view of the camera matches a3D model of the prescription pill bottle or other container.

In response to detecting the prescription pill bottle or other containerin step 902, the user device 108 can search for a prescription number onthe prescription pill bottle or other container and use opticalcharacter recognition (OCR) to determine the prescription number in step904.

In step 906, the user device 108 can determine if any additionalprescription pill bottles or other containers or any other substances,such as over-the-counter drugs, medical herbs, or vitamins, appear inthe field of view of the camera. When multiple containers or substancesappear in the field of view of the camera, the user device 108 canperform a method 1000 illustrated in FIG. 10 and described in detailbelow in step 908.

When only one prescription pill bottle or other container is found, theuser device 108 can check to determine whether a logged-in user isassociated with the prescription number in step 910. In other words, auser of the user device 108 logs into an application that performs theaugmented reality functions using a member ID and password (i.e. usercredentials), which can be the same as a member ID and password for awebsite hosted by the PBM, before performing the steps of method 900. Ifthe logged-in user is not associated with the prescription number (e.g.the prescription is prescribed to someone else), the user device 108 candisplay an error message in step 912. In some embodiments, the errormessage can indicate that the logged-in user cannot access additionalinformation about the drug because the drug was not prescribed to thelogged-in user. The logged-in user can be associated with theprescription number by being the user (i.e. participant) to whom theprescription drug was prescribed, by being a caregiver to theparticipant to whom the prescription drug was prescribed, by beingrelated to the participant to whom the prescription drug was prescribed,or by being a doctor or medical professional who prescribed theprescription drug.

If the logged-in user is associated with the prescription drug, the userdevice 108 can request additional information about the prescriptiondrug by transmitting the prescription number to the benefit managerdevice 102 in step 914. The user device 108 can receive and display theadditional information in augmented reality in step 916 (See FIG. 8 )after receiving the additional information from the benefit managerdevice 102. As described above, the benefit manager device 102 canreceive the prescription number, use the prescription number to findadditional data associated with the prescription drug (e.g. the claimsdata 114, and pharmaceutical drug data 118) in the database 110, andtransmit the additional data to the user device 108.

FIG. 10 illustrates a method 1000 for displaying drug interactioninformation about a prescription drug and another substance in augmentedreality according to an example embodiment. The method 1000 may beperformed by the member device 102, partially by the pharmacy benefitmanager device 106 and partially by the member device 102, and/or thehealthcare provider device 108, or may be otherwise performed. For thesake of simplicity, the member device 102 will be described asperforming the steps of the method 1000, but the embodiments describedherein are not so limited.

The member device 102 can detect multiple substances in step 1002.According to an exemplary embodiment, the member device 102 can detectprescription pill bottles or other containers by detecting multipleglyphs. Alternatively, the member device 102 can detect the multiplecontainers or substances by determining that multiple objects in thefield of view of the camera match 3D models of the prescription pillbottles or other containers. Alternatively, the member device 102 candetect other substances by recognizing a logo or recognizing a uniquepill bottle shape. In some embodiments, the member device 102 can detectsubstances by pill appearance or a code printed on a pill.

In response to detecting multiple prescription pill bottles or othercontainers in step 1002, the member device 102 can search for aprescription number and use optical character recognition (OCR) todetermine the prescription number in step 1004. The member device 102can also detect the identity of the second substance using OCR or otherimage recognition methods, as would be known to one having ordinaryskill in the art. In some embodiments, the second substance may alsohave a prescription number, which is also captured using OCR.

After determining the identity of all the substances in view, the memberdevice 102 can transmit multiple identifiers for all the substances inview to the pharmacy benefit manager device 106 in step 1006. Forexample, the member device 102 can transmit prescription numbers for allthe substances in view, over-the-counter drug names, or any otheridentifiers identifying the other substances in view. The pharmacybenefit manager device 106 can use the identifiers to look up druginteraction data 120. The member device 102 can receive the druginteraction data 120 from the pharmacy benefit manager device 106 anddisplay the drug interaction data 120 in augmented reality in step 1008.

FIG. 11 illustrates the member device 102 displaying the druginteraction data in augmented reality. As shown, the field of view ofthe camera includes a first container 1102 and a second container 1104.The member device 102 can display the drug interaction data 1106 for asubstance associated with the first container 1102 and a substanceassociated with the second container 1104 in augmented reality. The druginteraction data 1106 can indicate that the two substances are safe touse together or the drug interaction data 1106 can display a warningaltering the user not to use the two substances together. The druginteraction data 1106 can also include other warnings, such as not touse either or both substances with alcohol.

The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in noway intended to limit the disclosure, its application, or uses. Thebroad teachings of the disclosure can be implemented in a variety offorms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes particular examples,the true scope of the disclosure should not be so limited since othermodifications will become apparent upon a study of the drawings, thespecification, and the following claims. It should be understood thatone or more steps within a method may be executed in different order (orconcurrently) without altering the principles of the present disclosure.Further, although each of the embodiments is described above as havingcertain features, any one or more of those features described withrespect to any embodiment of the disclosure can be implemented in and/orcombined with features of any of the other embodiments, even if thatcombination is not explicitly described. In other words, the describedembodiments are not mutually exclusive, and permutations of one or moreembodiments with one another remain within the scope of this disclosure.

Spatial and functional relationships between elements (for example,between modules) are described using various terms, including“connected,” “engaged,” “interfaced,” and “coupled.” Unless explicitlydescribed as being “direct,” when a relationship between first andsecond elements is described in the above disclosure, that relationshipencompasses a direct relationship where no other intervening elementsare present between the first and second elements, and also an indirectrelationship where one or more intervening elements are present (eitherspatially or functionally) between the first and second elements. Asused herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be construedto mean a logical (A OR B OR C), using a non-exclusive logical OR, andshould not be construed to mean “at least one of A, at least one of B,and at least one of C.”

In the figures, the direction of an arrow, as indicated by thearrowhead, generally demonstrates the flow of information (such as dataor instructions) that is of interest to the illustration. For example,when element A and element B exchange a variety of information butinformation transmitted from element A to element B is relevant to theillustration, the arrow may point from element A to element B. Thisunidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information istransmitted from element B to element A. Further, for information sentfrom element A to element B, element B may send requests for, or receiptacknowledgements of, the information to element A. The term subset doesnot necessarily require a proper subset. In other words, a first subsetof a first set may be coextensive with (equal to) the first set.

In this application, including the definitions below, the term “module”or the term “controller” may be replaced with the term “circuit.” Theterm “module” may refer to, be part of, or include processor hardware(shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code and memory hardware(shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processorhardware.

The module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples,the interface circuit(s) may implement wired or wireless interfaces thatconnect to a local area network (LAN) or a wireless personal areanetwork (WPAN). Examples of a LAN are Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 802.11-2016 (also known as theWIFI wireless networking standard) and IEEE Standard 802.3-2015 (alsoknown as the ETHERNET wired networking standard). Examples of a WPAN arethe BLUETOOTH wireless networking standard from the Bluetooth SpecialInterest Group and IEEE Standard 802.15.4.

The module may communicate with other modules using the interfacecircuit(s). Although the module may be depicted in the presentdisclosure as logically communicating directly with other modules, invarious implementations the module may actually communicate via acommunications system. The communications system includes physicaland/or virtual networking equipment such as hubs, switches, routers, andgateways. In some implementations, the communications system connects toor traverses a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. Forexample, the communications system may include multiple LANs connectedto each other over the Internet or point-to-point leased lines usingtechnologies including Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) and virtualprivate networks (VPNs).

In various implementations, the functionality of the module may bedistributed among multiple modules that are connected via thecommunications system. For example, multiple modules may implement thesame functionality distributed by a load balancing system. In a furtherexample, the functionality of the module may be split between a server(also known as remote, or cloud) module and a client (or, user) module.

The term code, as used above, may include software, firmware, and/ormicrocode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, datastructures, and/or objects. Shared processor hardware encompasses asingle microprocessor that executes some or all code from multiplemodules. Group processor hardware encompasses a microprocessor that, incombination with additional microprocessors, executes some or all codefrom one or more modules. References to multiple microprocessorsencompass multiple microprocessors on discrete dies, multiplemicroprocessors on a single die, multiple cores of a singlemicroprocessor, multiple threads of a single microprocessor, or acombination of the above.

Shared memory hardware encompasses a single memory device that storessome or all code from multiple modules. Group memory hardwareencompasses a memory device that, in combination with other memorydevices, stores some or all code from one or more modules.

The term memory hardware is a subset of the term computer-readablemedium. The term computer-readable medium, as used herein, does notencompass transitory electrical or electromagnetic signals propagatingthrough a medium (such as on a carrier wave); the term computer-readablemedium is therefore considered tangible and non-transitory. Non-limitingexamples of a non-transitory computer-readable medium are nonvolatilememory devices (such as a flash memory device, an erasable programmableread-only memory device, or a mask read-only memory device), volatilememory devices (such as a static random access memory device or adynamic random access memory device), magnetic storage media (such as ananalog or digital magnetic tape or a hard disk drive), and opticalstorage media (such as a CD, a DVD, or a Blu-ray Disc).

The apparatuses and methods described in this application may bepartially or fully implemented by a special purpose computer created byconfiguring a general purpose computer to execute one or more particularfunctions embodied in computer programs. The functional blocks andflowchart elements described above serve as software specifications,which can be translated into the computer programs by the routine workof a skilled technician or programmer.

The computer programs include processor-executable instructions that arestored on at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium. Thecomputer programs may also include or rely on stored data. The computerprograms may encompass a basic input/output system (BIOS) that interactswith hardware of the special purpose computer, device drivers thatinteract with particular devices of the special purpose computer, one ormore operating systems, user applications, background services,background applications, etc.

The computer programs may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed,such as HTML (hypertext markup language), XML (extensible markuplanguage), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), (ii) assembly code,(iii) object code generated from source code by a compiler, (iv) sourcecode for execution by an interpreter, (v) source code for compilationand execution by a just-in-time compiler, etc. As examples only, sourcecode may be written using syntax from languages including C, C++, C #,Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Java®, Fortran, Perl,Pascal, Curl, OCaml, Javascript®, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language 5threvision), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: HypertextPreprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Flash®, VisualBasic®, Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and Python®.

We claim:
 1. A system comprising: one or more processors communicativelycoupled to a camera and a display, the one or more processors configuredto: identify a unique identifier on a label of a prescription pillbottle or a prescription drug container using images generated by thecamera; and request additional data from a pharmacy benefit managerusing the unique identifier; and an augmented reality subsystemcommunicatively coupled to the one or more processors, the augmentedreality subsystem configured to: direct the display to present theadditional data from the pharmacy benefit manager in an augmentedreality foreground image that is displayed over the images generated bythe camera such that the additional data is displayed adjacent to theprescription pill bottle or prescription drug container; direct thedisplay to present one or more interactive portions in the augmentedreality foreground image; and responsive to detecting a user selectionof the one or more interactive portions, implement an action thatincludes one or more of transmitting a request to refill a prescriptiondrug, calling a doctor that previously prescribed the prescription drug,or directing the display to present drug interaction informationassociated with the prescription drug.
 2. The system of claim 1, whereinthe one or more processors are configured to identify the prescriptionpill bottle or the prescription drug container in the images generatedby the camera.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or moreprocessors are configured to examine the images generated by the camerato determine whether the prescription pill bottle or the prescriptiondrug container appears in the images.
 4. The system of claim 1, whereinthe one or more processors are configured to identify the uniqueidentifier by using optical character recognition to determine aprescription number printed on the label.
 5. The system of claim 1,wherein the one or more processors are configured to identify the uniqueidentifier by locating a glyph that is on the label adjacent to theunique identifier.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or moreprocessors are configured to identify the unique identifier byde-warping one or more of the images and then applying optical characterrecognition to identify the unique identifier.
 7. The system of claim 1,wherein the augmented reality subsystem is configured to direct thedisplay to continue presenting the additional data on the imagesgenerated by the camera and displayed on the display as a field of viewof the camera changes.
 8. A method comprising: identifying a uniqueidentifier on a label of a prescription pill bottle or a prescriptiondrug container using images generated by a camera; requesting additionaldata from a pharmacy benefit manager using the unique identifier;displaying one or more interactive portions and the additional data fromthe pharmacy benefit manager in an augmented reality foreground imagethat is displayed over the images generated by the camera such that theadditional data is displayed adjacent to the prescription pill bottle orprescription drug container; detecting a user selection of the one ormore interactive portions; and implementing an action responsive todetecting the user selection, the action that is implemented includingone or more of transmitting a request to refill a prescription drug,calling a doctor that previously prescribed the prescription drug, ordirecting the display to present drug interaction information associatedwith the prescription drug.
 9. The method of claim 8, furthercomprising: identifying the prescription pill bottle or the prescriptiondrug container in the images generated by the camera.
 10. The method ofclaim 8, further comprising: examining the images generated by thecamera to determine whether the prescription pill bottle or theprescription drug container appears in the images.
 11. The method ofclaim 8, wherein the unique identifier is identified using opticalcharacter recognition to determine a prescription number printed on thelabel.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein the unique identifier isidentified by locating a glyph that is on the label adjacent to theunique identifier.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein the uniqueidentifier is identified by de-warping one or more of the images andthen applying optical character recognition to identify the uniqueidentifier.
 14. The method of claim 8, wherein the additional data isdisplayed over the images generated by the camera as a field of view ofthe camera changes.
 15. A system comprising: one or more processorscommunicatively coupled to a camera and a display, the one or moreprocessors configured to: identify a prescription drug container inimages generated by the camera; de-warp at least one of the images toidentify a unique identifier on a label of the prescription drugcontainer; and request additional data from a pharmacy benefit managerusing the unique identifier; and an augmented reality subsystemcommunicatively coupled to the one or more processors, the augmentedreality subsystem configured to: direct the display to present one ormore interactive portions and the additional data from the pharmacybenefit manager in an augmented reality foreground image that isdisplayed over the images generated by the camera; and responsive todetecting a user selection of the one or more interactive portions,implement an action that includes one or more of transmitting a requestto refill a prescription drug, calling a doctor that previouslyprescribed the prescription drug, or directing the display to presentdrug interaction information associated with the prescription drug. 16.The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors areconfigured to identify the prescription drug container in the imagesgenerated by the camera.
 17. The system of claim 15, wherein the one ormore processors are configured to identify the unique identifier byusing optical character recognition to determine a prescription numberprinted on the label.
 18. The system of claim 15, wherein the one ormore processors are configured to identify the unique identifier bylocating a glyph that is on the label adjacent to the unique identifier.19. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more processors areconfigured to identify the unique identifier by de-warping one or moreof the images and then applying optical character recognition toidentify the unique identifier.
 20. The system of claim 15, wherein theaugmented reality subsystem is configured to direct the display tocontinue presenting the additional data on the images generated by thecamera and displayed on the display as a field of view of the camerachanges.